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A bill to amend the Clean Air Act to establish a grant program for supporting local communities in detecting, preparing for, communicating about, or mitigating the environmental and public health impacts of wildfire smoke and extreme heat, and for other purposes.
1/31/2025, 11:56 AM
Summary of Bill S 341
The grant program established by this bill will help communities in developing strategies to better handle the challenges posed by wildfire smoke and extreme heat. This includes improving detection methods, creating emergency response plans, enhancing communication efforts to keep residents informed, and implementing measures to reduce the negative effects on public health and the environment.
The primary goal of Bill 119 s 341 is to provide resources and assistance to local communities that are vulnerable to the impacts of wildfire smoke and extreme heat. By supporting these communities in their efforts to address these challenges, the bill aims to enhance public health and safety, as well as protect the environment from the harmful effects of these natural disasters. Overall, the Wildfire Smoke and Extreme Heat Community Protection Act is a proactive measure that seeks to empower local communities to better prepare for and respond to the environmental and public health impacts of wildfire smoke and extreme heat. It emphasizes the importance of collaboration and support at the local level in order to effectively address these pressing issues.
Congressional Summary of S 341
Smoke and Heat Ready Communities Act of 2025
This bill authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to make grants to air pollution control agencies to support the development and implementation of programs that support local communities in detecting, preparing for, communicating with the public about, or mitigating the environmental and public health aspects of wildfire smoke and extreme heat. The EPA must establish a formula to distribute the grants among air pollution control agencies.
The bill requires the EPA to establish four Centers of Excellence for Wildfire Smoke and Extreme Heat at institutions of higher education to research (1) the effects of smoke emissions from wildland fires and extreme heat on public health, and (2) the means by which communities can better respond to impacts from such conditions.
Additionally, the EPA must begin to carry out research to
- study the health effects of smoke emissions from wildland fires and extreme heat;
- develop and disseminate personal and community-based interventions to reduce exposure to, and health effects of, wildland fire smoke emissions and extreme heat;
- increase the quality of smoke and extreme heat monitoring and prediction tools and techniques; and
- develop implementation and communication strategies.
The EPA must also establish a competitive grant program to assist certain entities (e.g., a state) in developing and implementing collaborative community plans for mitigating the impacts of smoke emissions from wildland fires and extreme heat.
